Gate-latch.



J. N. WELLER.

GATE LATOH.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 22. 1909.

Patented Feb. 22, 1910.

lmmmw JOHN N. WELLER, 0F KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE.

GATE-LATCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 22, 1909. Serial No. 491,537.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN N. TELLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Knoxville, in the county of Knox and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gate-Latches; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in gate latches.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved construction of gate latch adapted to drop into engagement with its keeper plate by gravity when the gate is swung to a closed position.

A further object is to provide a gate latch which will be simple, strong and durable in construction, efficient and reliable in operation and which may be quickly and easily attached to a gate.

\Vith the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side view of a gate and its latch post, showing the application of the invention; Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view through the attaching bolt or screw of the latch, taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1, looking down on the lower portion of the latch; Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the latch removed from the gate.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 denotes the gate which may be of any desired construction and 2 denotes the latch post of the gate, on which is secured a keeper plate 3 which is here shown and is preferably provided with a right angularly projecting latch engaging flange 4, the outer edge of which is preferably beveled on its inner side to facilitate the automatic engagement of the latch therewith.

The latch comprises a base or attaching plate 5 which is screwed or otherwise suitably fastened to one side of the free end of the gate, as shown, and is substantially triangular in shape and provided on its lower end with a horizontal right angularly projecting flange 6, in which is formed an elongated guide aperture or slot 7 Pivotally connected to the upper portion of the base plate 5 to swing thereon longitudinally of the gate is a latch bar 8, the lower portion of which projects through and swings freely in the slot 7 of the base plate. The lower portion of the latch bar below the base plate 5 is bent outwardly at a right angle to the upper portion and said right angularly bent portion is provided with a keeper engaging head 9 which is preferably triangular or in the shape of an arrow head. The latch bar preferably tapers slightly from its upper pivoted end toward its head 9, as shown. The upper end of the latch bar is loosely mounted on the thimble washer or sleeve 10 having on its outer end an annular flange 11 and through said washer is arranged the pivot screw or bolt 12 of the latch bar whereby said bar is pivotally secured to the base plate and the upper portion of the latter secured to the side of the gate. By means of the thimble washer or sleeve, the screw or bolt 12 is prevented from binding against the latch bar and thus interfering with the free swinging movement thereof. By thus connecting the latch bar to the base plate,

and side of the gate, said bar will drop by gravity to a vertical position and the parts of the latch are so arranged on the gate with relation to the keeper plate on the latch post, that when the gate is swung to a closed position, the inclined outer edge of the head 9 will engage the beveled edge of the keeper plate, thus forcing the latch bar to one side in the slot 7 until the inner edge of the head has cleared the outer edge of the keeper plate at which time, the latch bar will swing back to an operative position and the rear edge of the head will automatically engage the outer side of the flange 4 on the base plate, thus fastening the gate in closed position. When the gate has thus swung to a closed position and the latch bar has engaged the keeper plate, the flange 4 of the keeper plate will extend between the inner edge of the head and the outer edge of the flange 6 on the plate, thus securely holding the gate from movement in either direction. From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the prin- Patented Feb. 22, 1910.

ciple or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention, as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what v 5 I claim is:

In a gate latch, a keeper plate, a base plate secured to the gate, a right angularl'y projecting slotted flange formed on the lower edge of said plate, a pivot screw arranged .3 in the upper end of said plate, a thimble washer or sleeve arranged on said pivot bolt, a latch bar pivotally mounted on said sleeve 0r washer and having its lower end pr0jecting through and operatively engaged with said slotted flange, anda head on the lower 15 end of said latch bar adapted to automatic- JOHN N. WELLER.

Witnesses E. T. WORSHAM, VIN'ONA ROEHL. 

